Learning to Cook? Here's a Handy Glossary of Terms and Techniques

This chapter provides a rundown of the terms you'll run into when using a cookbook, as well as handy reference charts for measurements, temperature conversion, and other things you'll need as you begin to cook.

This chapter is from the book

This chapter is from the book

In this chapter

Glossary

Weight and Measurement Conversions

Common Cooking Abbreviations

Oven Temperature Chart

Food Yield Equivalents Chart

Just like any specialty area, cooking has a vocabulary all its own. You will
see terms like these in almost any recipe, so make sure that you know exactly
what the recipe is asking you to do before you jump in and start cooking.

Glossary

Al dente: Italian term meaning "to the tooth." Used
to describe the texture of pasta or other foods, such as blanched vegetables,
that are cooked just until tender but slightly firm to the bite.

Bake: To cook, covered or uncovered, by dry heat, usually in
an oven. When baking, it is important to preheat the oven first. Do not crowd
the oven. Air must be allowed to circulate freely to ensure that the food cooks
evenly. When meat, poultry, or vegetables are baked uncovered, it is called
roasting.

Barbecue: To cook meat, poultry, fish, or vegetables on a
grill placed over an intense heat created with charcoal, gas, or wood.

Baste: To spoon, brush, or drizzle barbecue sauce, pan
drippings, or a marinade over meat, poultry, vegetables, or fish while grilling
or roasting. A bulb baster is specifically designed for this purpose. Basting
moistens, adds flavor, and enhances the finished appearance. If basting with pan
drippings, check occasionally to ensure juices are not evaporating. If the pan
drippings are evaporating, add a small amount of liquid such as stock, wine, or
water to the pan. Brushing or basting roasting vegetables with oil or melted
butter creates a browned crispy surface.

Batter: A thin or slightly thick liquid mixture usually
containing flour, eggs, liquid, and a raising agent such as baking powder. This
mixture can be poured, dropped from a spoon, or used as a coating for fried
foods.

Beat: To mix foods by stirring vigorously in a quick, even,
circular motion, lifting the mixture up and over with each stroke. This
incorporates air into the mixture and makes it light and fluffy. Use a wooden
spoon or a fork to beat. Most often used for eggs, but also a useful method to
create a smooth consistency and remove lumps in sauces or custards. This also
can be done with an electric mixer.

Bind: To add an ingredient, such as an egg, cream, or
butter, to thicken and hold the other ingredients together.

Blanch: To immerse food, usually fruits or vegetables, very
briefly in boiling water, either to help loosen the skin or to cook slightly to
preserve color and flavor. To loosen the skin on fruits such as tomatoes, nuts,
or peaches, immerse the fruit in boiling water for 20 seconds and then plunge
into cold water. Remove, let the fruit cool slightly, and then remove the skin.
Blanching before freezing stops the enzyme action that destroys the fresh
flavor, color, and texture of fruits and vegetables. Immerse in boiling water
1–3 minutes, remove, and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process
and then freeze.

Blend: To thoroughly combine two or more ingredients with a
wire whisk, spatula, fork, spoon, or electric mixer to a desired
consistency.

Blind Bake: To bake an empty pastry shell so that it is well
cooked and crisp. The pastry dough is placed in a pie or quiche pan and lined
with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Dried beans or baking marbles are placed
on the paper or foil to ensure the pastry retains its shape as it bakes. The
weights and lining are then removed and the pastry is cooked a bit longer to
complete the baking.

Boil: To bring the temperature of water to 212°F, at
sea level, which causes bubbles to constantly rise and break on the surface.
Small bubbles will start to form along the inside edge of the pot, gradually
increasing in size and intensity. Large bubbles rapidly rising and breaking on
the agitated surface indicates a full, rapid, or rolling boil. Covering the pan
will speed this process. Food, such as potatoes or pasta, are placed in water
that is not yet at a boil, or already boiling, and cooked for a determined
amount of time according to the recipe instructions. Medium bubbles rising less
intensely with a less agitated surface are known as a "slow boil."

Bone: To remove the bones from meat, poultry, or fish. A
thin, flexible boning knife is often used for this process.

Braise: The technique of browning meats or vegetables on the
stove top in a small amount of fat and then transferring them to the oven to
slowly cook in a few inches of liquid. This cooking technique tenderizes and
flavors foods and is especially appropriate for tough cuts of meat. A heavy,
tightly-lidded, steep-sided pan such as a Dutch oven is a great pot for braising
because it completely surrounds the food and cooks it evenly.

Bread: To dredge or coat with bread or cracker crumbs,
usually after first dipping food into a beaten egg or other liquid so that the
crumbs will adhere. Breading will seal in moisture and create a crispy crust
when the food is cooked.

Brochette: Meat, fish, or vegetables threaded on a skewer
and baked, broiled, or grilled.

Broil: To cook food under intense direct heat, usually under
a gas or electric oven broiler. A quick, easy, and healthy method of cooking
meats, poultry, fish, or vegetables as the high heat seals in the moisture while
browning the outside and creating a tender inside. The broiler must be
preheated, the food lightly brushed with oil (due to the intense heat), and
placed 4–6 inches from the heat source. Barbecuing produces the same
result, with the heat source on the underside of the food.

Broth: A liquid created by cooking meat, poultry, fish, or
vegetables, or a combination of those foods, in water.

Brown: To cook food quickly at a high heat, usually in a
skillet with a small amount of fat, to seal in the moisture and to give food an
appetizing, rich, brown color on the surface. A very hot oven or a broiler also
will brown foods.

Bruise: To partially crush an aromatic food, such as garlic,
to release flavors before adding to a recipe. Press down on the garlic with the
flat side of a knife blade, applying pressure with the palm of your hand.

Butterfly: To split food, usually meat, down the center,
removing any bones and cutting almost all the way through. The two halves are
laid open flat to resemble a butterfly or a book, creating a larger, thinner
piece of meat suitable for stuffing.

Caramelize: To melt sugar over low heat, without burning,
until it dissolves into a liquid state creating a golden or dark brown syrup.
Also refers to sautéing onions or other vegetables over medium-high heat
until their sugars break down and caramelize, resulting in a brown color and
rich flavor.

Chiffonade: French for "made of rags." Vegetable or
large herb leaves, such as basil, are stacked, rolled into a tight cylinder, and
cut across the stem, which creates strips or ribbons when unrolled. Most often
used as a garnish.

Chill: To refrigerate food or place it in ice or ice water
until cold.

Chop: To use a knife to coarsely cut food more than one
time, into small or large, non-uniform pieces.

Clarify: To clear a cloudy liquid, such as stock, by adding
raw egg whites or eggshells and simmering for 10–15 minutes. This attracts
and holds the impurities in the liquid. After cooling, the liquid is gently
poured through a fine wire sieve (strainer) or cheesecloth to strain out the
residue.

How to Clarify Butter

Many recipes will ask you to use clarified butter without explaining the
term. Just as the glossary explains, clarifying butter means making the butter
clear by separating and discarding the milk solids. This creates a golden liquid
with a much higher smoking point than regular butter. Unsalted butter is slowly
melted over a low heat without stirring. As the water evaporates, the milk
solids separate and sink to the bottom of the pan. Any impurities rise to the
surface and the butter fat, in the middle, becomes clear. The pan is removed
from the heat and the foam is skimmed off the top with a spoon. Carefully pour
or ladle the clarified butter into another container, discarding the milk solids
left behind.

Coat a spoon: To dip a spoon into egg-based custards and
sauces to test for doneness. The food is done if an even film, thin to thick
depending on the recipe instructions, is left on the spoon and a clear path is
left when your finger is drawn across the coating.

Core: The center of a fruit or vegetable that holds the stem
and seeds. To core is to remove this area with a small paring knife or
corer, a tool designed specifically to remove the core from an apple or
pear, leaving a cylindrical hole through the center.

Cream: To thoroughly blend a softened ingredient, such as
butter or shortening, into itself or other ingredients, such as sugar. Use the
back of a spoon against the side of the bowl to blend and eventually create a
smooth, light and fluffy texture.

Crimp: To press two pastry edges together, sealing them, and
forming a raised, decorative edge that holds in the filling. To crimp, place the
thumb and side of folded index finger over the pastry edge at a 45° angle
and gently pinch, continuing all around the edge, creating a diagonal ridge on
the rim. Do not pinch too hard as you are only shaping the dough, not stretching
it. Another method is to create a "V" with the thumb and index finger of
your left hand placed on the pastry rim facing out. Gently press the dough up
and out with the "V", while pressing in toward the "V" with the
index finger of your right hand. This creates a little scallop that continues
all around the edge. You also can press the two pastry edges together with the
tines of a fork to create a flat, but sealed edge.

Cube: To cut food into small, square pieces ranging in size
from 1/4-inch to 1 1/2-inches—larger than a dice, more uniform in shape
and size than a coarse cut.

Curdle: Caused by overcooking, too much heat, or agitation.
An egg- or cream-based mixture will separate into a liquid that contains small,
solid particles.

Cut: To divide food one or more times with a knife into
small or large pieces.

Cut-In: To mix a solid fat, such as butter or shortening,
into a dry ingredient with a pastry blender, two table knives, or the fingers,
until particles are the desired size, usually the size of coarse bread crumbs. A
pastry blender is made for this purpose and is rocked back and forth through the
mixture until the fat is distributed as desired. Two table knives are drawn back
and forth in opposing directions, cutting the solid into the dry ingredients.
Fingers are the choice of professional chefs, in a method referred to as
rubbing in, in which the fat is rubbed into the flour using the tips of
the fingers.

Dash: A measuring term referring to a very small quantity,
usually between 1/8 and 1/16 of a teaspoon, or one or two quick shakes, as in
"a dash of hot sauce."

De-beard: To remove the beard from a mussel prior to
cooking.

Deep fry: To rapidly cook foods by submerging them in a deep
pot of very hot oil. It is essential to use an oil that can be heated to a high
temperature without smoking. Oils with a high smoke point are corn, grapeseed,
safflower, and peanut oil. Fill the pan no more than halfway with oil since a
higher level can be dangerous and many house fires are started by deep-fat pans
catching fire. Heat the oil to just below the smoking point. With tongs, or a
small wire basket on a long handle made for deep frying, place the foods, such
as potatoes for French fries, breaded onion rings, or battered calamari, into
the hot oil and deep fry. The recipe directions will give the length of time for
cooking. When done, carefully lift the food out of the pan with tongs or a wire
basket and transfer to paper towels to drain. This cooking method is most suited
to less delicate foods that have been coated with batter or breading to protect
them from the high heat.

De-glaze: To add wine, broth, or water to the bottom of a
hot roasting or sauté pan in order to loosen the drippings or browned
bits deposited while cooking a food, usually meat or poultry. As the liquid
heats, scrape the bottom of the pan to release the browned bits. Stir these into
the liquid to create the beginnings of a sauce to be seasoned and reduced to the
desired consistency or used to make gravy.

Degrease: To carefully skim the fat off the surface of a
liquid, such as a soup or stew, with a spoon. Alternately, you may chill the
liquid to solidify the fat for easy removal.

De-vein: To remove the dark vein (the intestinal tract)
which runs down the back of a shrimp. Shell the shrimp, cut a lengthwise slit
along the outside curve of the back, and remove the vein. Rinse well under cold
water. In smaller shrimp, the vein can be eaten. However, the vein in larger
shrimp contains grit and should be removed.

Dice: To cut into equal-sized, 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch cubes.
Smaller and more precise than a chop, while larger and more precise than a
mince. Recipes will call for a fine, medium, or large dice when it matters what
the vegetables look like, or that they cook in approximately the same amount of
time.

How to Dice Foods

Wash or peel fruit or vegetable as directed in the recipe. Create a flat
surface to keep the food from slipping while cutting. Do this by either cutting
it in half or cutting a small piece off one side. Hold the fruit or vegetable
with your fingertips curled under and knuckles out resting against the side of
the knife blade. With the tip of your blade on the cutting board, pump your
knife up and down, cutting the fruit or vegetable into slices, while slowly
moving your fingertips backward and exposing more area for slicing. Turn the
knife perpendicular and slice through the fruit or vegetable the other way
making sure you have even pieces to the desired thickness.

How to dice carrots, potatoes and celery: These are
easier to handle if you cut them in half lengthwise and lay the flat side of one
half down on the board before cutting. To dice carrots, quarter lengthwise and
then make crosswise cuts to the desired dice size.

How to dice a pepper: These are easy to handle by cutting
in half lengthwise, through or next to, the stem. Remove the stem and seeds, and
then place the pepper skin side down on the cutting board. Gently flatten the
pepper with the heel of your hand, which spreads the pepper and creates a flat
cutting surface. Follow the dicing instructions above.

How to dice an onion: Cut the onion in half lengthwise,
cutting down through the stem and root. Place the flat side of an onion half on
the cutting board and trim off the stem end. Make horizontal cuts parallel to
the cutting board through the onion half, but not through to the root end.
Leaving the root end intact makes it easier to cut the onion. The width between
the cuts will determine the size of the diced pieces. Make lengthwise cuts,
starting just short of the root end, again to help keep the onion together. Turn
the onion and cut crosswise, perpendicular to the previous cut and stop where
the cuts stop. Discard the end.

Dilute: To thin the consistency or weaken the flavor of a
sauce or stock by adding more liquid.

Dot: To scatter small bits of an ingredient, usually butter,
over the surface of a food.

Drain: To remove or pour off liquid from food, such as
cooked pasta or potatoes, through a colander or strainer. Fat can be drained
from a skillet after cooking meat. Food such as bacon or fried chicken also can
be placed on paper towels to drain. The towels will absorb the fat from the
surface of the food.

Dredge: To coat food lightly but completely with dry
ingredients such as flour, cornmeal, or bread crumbs in preparation for frying
to help brown the food and seal in moisture. Food can be dragged through the
dredging ingredients or shaken in a plastic or paper bag with the dredging
ingredients. Always shake off excess dredging ingredients before browning. Baked
or fried sweet items, such as donuts, are sometimes dredged with sugar and
spices, such as cinnamon.

Drippings: The melted fat, juices, and browned bits left in
a roasting or sauté pan by meat or poultry as it cooks. Fats are often
skimmed from the pan, and the remaining drippings are used to make a sauce or
gravy.

Drizzle: To slowly pour liquid in a fine stream over the
surface of a food.

Dust: To lightly sprinkle a food, before or after cooking,
with dry ingredients, such as flour, sugar, or spices. The dough, rolling pin,
and the work surface are dusted with flour before rolling or kneading pastry to
prevent it from sticking to any of the surfaces. A plate may be dusted with
cocoa powder before setting a slice of cake or dessert on it to enhance the
presentation.

Emulsify: To combine liquids that normally do not combine
easily into one mixture, such as oil and vinegar. The presence of a third
ingredient, called an emulsifier, is required to stabilize and sustain
the pairing. Emulsifiers include mustard, eggs, and milk.

Entrée: The main dish of a meal.

Fillet: A piece of meat, chicken, or fish that has had all
of the bones removed so only the flesh remains. To fillet is to cut the
meat, chicken, or fish from the bones.

Flake: To gently break into small thin pieces, usually with
the tines of a fork. Commonly refers to the texture of cooked fish which flakes
easily.

Flambé: To drench food in brandy or liqueur and
ignite with a match. The food bursts into a dramatic, flaming display while the
alcohol burns off.

Flute: To make decorative indentations around the edge of
pastry. See Crimp.

Fold: To gently incorporate one mixture with another through
repeated, gentle turning-over motions by lifting from underneath without beating
or stirring. A rubber spatula is generally used.

Fricassee: To cook food, usually chicken, by browning in
butter, and then gently cooking with vegetables, all of which are covered in
liquid. This results in a thick stew, often flavored with wine.

Fry: To cook foods in, but not submerged in, hot fat in a
skillet over high heat until browned and very crispy. Oil with a high smoke
point is ideal for this method of cooking. The thicker the food, the more oil
you will need. Preheat the oil in the skillet to a high heat, and then add the
food, such as battered chicken pieces, breaded pounded meat, chicken cutlets,
breaded fish, or breaded vegetables. The outside cooks at once, preventing the
food from absorbing too much oil. Once the food is cooked on one side, gently
turn it with tongs or a spatula to the other side, taking care not to splash the
hot oil on yourself. When the food is done, remove it with a spatula and
transfer to paper towels to absorb any excess oil. This method works best with
less delicate foods often dipped in batter or breaded first, such as breaded
pork chops or thick fish fillets.

Garnish: To add fresh herbs, edible flowers, fruits, or
small vegetables to a completed dish to enhance the flavor or the look.

Glaze: To coat the surface of a food with a thin liquid
mixture to give it a smooth, glossy finish. Savories are usually brushed with
egg before baking to create a rich, golden-brown finish. Sweet pastries can be
brushed with water or milk, and then sprinkled with sugar to give them a crackly
sweet finish. Meat, such as ham, often is glazed with a coating of mustard and
syrup or brown sugar applied after the ham is partially cooked to achieve a
sweet, browned crust.

Grate: To rub a solid food, such as cheese, vegetables,
citrus skins, nutmeg, or chocolate, against the coarse, serrated holes of a
grater to create shreds of food. These shreds will range in size according to
size of the holes in the grater. A food processor can be used for this purpose
as well, especially if you have a large quantity of food to prepare. A box
grater offers four different sized grating surfaces from a fine zest-like grate
to large slices.

Gratin: A food, most often potatoes or green vegetables,
topped with grated cheese or bread crumbs, drizzled with oil or dotted with
butter and baked in a shallow gratin dish until the inside is soft and the top
is browned and slightly crunchy.

Grease: To rub a light coat of fat, usually butter or oil,
on the inside of a baking dish to prevent sticking while the food cooks.

Grease and dust: A baking pan is dusted with flour after
greasing it to prevent batter from sticking to the pan while baking. Smear a
light coat of fat, usually butter or oil, on the inside bottom and sides of the
baking pan. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of flour and shake the pan back and forth so
that flour scatters over the sides and bottom of the pan, allowing a fine
dusting of flour to adhere to the grease. Gently tap the pan against your hand
to loosen any clumps. Discard the flour that does not stick.

Grill: To cook food on a rack over a very intense heat
created by charcoal, gas, or wood to brown the outside of the food and seal in
moisture. Grilling can be done under intense heat, as in broiling, or on a very
hot surface (iron works best). When this is done on the stove-top it is usually
called "searing."

TIP

If using a gas grill, leave the heat on for a few minutes after removing the
cooked meat. This will burn off any bits that are sticking to the grill rack.
Let the grill cool slightly and use the grill brush to clean off charred bits.
This leaves the grill clean for the next use. A grill brick is an excellent tool
to have if you do a lot of grilling. Before turning the grill on or lighting
charcoals, run the brick over the rack to thoroughly clean any residue or fat
that may be left from the last use.

How to Grill Meat

Before grilling wet or marinated food, pat it dry with a paper towel. Dry
meat will brown better than wet meat. Brush or rub meat with a small amount of
oil to add flavor and prevent meat from sticking to the grill.

Seasoning meat with a salt-spice rub mixture helps to brown the outside of
the meat while grilling. This rub should be added immediately before cooking
because salt draws the juices out of meat. Shake off excess dry rub and brush
the surface of the meat with oil, to prevent burning and to encourage
browning.

Preheat the grill so the meat sears quickly, locking in moisture. Reduce the
heat to medium and complete the grilling to your preference.

Hull: To ready berries, usually strawberries, for use by
plucking out the stem and leaves.

Husk: To pull back and remove the leaves covering an ear of
corn. It is best to also remove the silk strands found between the leaves and
the ear of corn.

Julienne: To cut food, usually vegetables, into narrow,
matchstick sized strips, often of a uniform length.

Knead: To work dough on a lightly floured surface until it
is elastic and smooth. The dough is pushed with the heels of the hands. The
sides are folded toward the center, and then the dough is pushed out and worked
again with a gentle but firm downward and outward motion. This is repeated for
the length of time specified in the recipe instructions. Kneading develops the
gluten in the flour so it will hold its shape when rising.

Leaven: To add a leavening agent, such as yeast, baking
powder, or baking soda. This causes the mixture to rise while baking and
lightens the texture of the finished product.

Line: To cover the bottom of a baking dish or pan with
parchment or waxed paper before adding food to prevent sticking.

Marinate: To soak foods, usually meats and poultry, in a
marinade in order to tenderize it and add flavor. A marinade is made with a
combination of vinegar, citrus juice, wine, oil, and seasonings such as garlic
or herbs. Marinating times vary from 20 minutes to a few days. Do not allow
foods to sit in marinades made with citrus for longer than an hour as the citrus
actually begins to "cook" the food. Dry marinades are a mix of spices
and herbs and are usually called a rub.

Mash: To crush cooked foods, usually root vegetables, using
a fork, potato masher, or electric mixer. Butter and milk often are added to
create a smooth, creamy consistency. Other flavors such as roasted garlic,
gorgonzola cheese, or fresh minced herbs can be added.

Meringue: Egg whites and sugar beaten until stiff and slowly
baked. Used as a topping for pie or to create dessert shells.

Mince: To cut or chop into teeny tiny pieces, a common
preparation for garlic and herbs.

How to Mince

To mince garlic, place a garlic clove on a cutting board and cut off and
discard the end that was attached to the garlic head. Place the flat side of the
thick end of your knife over the garlic and hit the blade firmly with your hand
or fist hard enough to smash the garlic and to loosen the skin of the garlic.
Remove and discard the skin. Place the tip of the knife blade down on the
cutting board and hold it down with one hand. Pump the handle up and down with
your other hand, chopping into the garlic and moving the knife blade from right
to left and back again. Scrape the garlic back into a little pile and repeat
until the desired size of mince is achieved.

To mince herbs, place the tip of the knife blade down on the cutting board
and hold down with one hand. Pump the handle up and down with your other hand,
chopping into the herbs and moving from right to left and back again. Scrape the
herbs back into a little pile and repeat until the desired size mince is
achieved.

Mirepoix: The base aromatics for most traditional French
cooking, pronounced mihr-PWAH. This mixture of diced carrots, onions, and celery
sautéed in butter is used to season sauces, soups, and stews. A
cornerstone of Cajun cooking, commonly referred to as the holy trinity,
contains only onion, celery, and bell pepper.

Mise-En-Place: Translated, "to put in place" and
pronounced MEEZahn-plahs. It means to have all ingredients prepared and ready to
go before you start cooking. This is useful when cooking a recipe with many
components, such as a stir-fry.

Mix: To stir ingredients together.

Pan-grilling: To cook foods, meat, or vegetables in a
skillet over medium-high to high heat. This will brown the outside, sealing in
moisture and juices, while cooking or melting the inside to the desired
doneness. Food should be turned at least once to ensure even cooking.

Parboil: To partially cook a food in boiling or simmering
water or broth. Similar to blanching, but the cooking time is longer.

Pare: To remove unwanted skins or rinds from fruits or
vegetables with a small knife.

Peeling: To remove the skins from fruits or vegetables. For
thick-skinned foods such as avocados or oranges, use a small knife. For
thin-skinned vegetables such as carrots or potatoes, use a vegetable peeler.

Pinch: A measuring term referring to a very small,
approximate amount of a dry ingredient, usually salt, pepper, or a spice that
can be held between the tips of the thumb and forefinger.

Pit: To remove the seed from whole fruits or olives by
cutting around the sides and pulling the seed away from the flesh.

How to Pit and Peel an Avocado

Cut the avocado in half lengthwise and twist the two halves apart. The pit
will remain in one half. Lay the half with the pit on a flat surface and with a
chef’s knife, make a swift downward whack into the pit. Holding the knife
in one hand and grasping the avocado with the other, twist the knife and the
avocado in opposite directions. The pit will remain on the knife. Cut the skin
lengthwise in four places and peel off in strips. If you plan on mashing the
avocado, remove the pit, but do not peel. Simply scoop the avocado meat out of
the skin with a tablespoon.

Poach: To cook food gently in simmering liquid so that the
food retains its shape. Poaching is suitable for fish fillets, steak, chicken,
vegetables, and eggs. The poaching liquids, such as wine, can impart flavor as
well as absorb some of the flavors from the food being poached. This is ideal
for creating a sauce. Fruit poaches well because it is tenderized by the slow
simmering, but the fruit retains its shape and the flavored cooking liquid makes
a nice sauce. Poached eggs are a healthy option because there isn’t any
fat involved in the cooking process. It is best to start food in warm liquid and
slowly bring to a simmer.

Pound: To flatten or tenderize meat or chicken breasts
between sheets of waxed paper with a heavy mallet to achieve a uniform
thickness. Don’t have a mallet? Improvise by using the bottom of a heavy
skillet or the bottom of a beer bottle.

Preheat: To heat the oven to a specified temperature before
adding the foods. Most recipes require preheating of the oven. The recipe will
direct a cool oven if it should not be preheated.

Puree: To mash food, force it through a food mill, or
process in a food processor or blender until it is smooth.

Reconstitute: To restore dried, condensed, or concentrated
foods to their original state by adding, or soaking in, liquid.

Reduce: To thicken or concentrate a liquid, such as a sauce,
stock, or wine, by rapidly boiling until evaporation decreases the original
volume, thickening the liquid, and intensifying the flavor.

Render: To melt a solid animal fat over low heat, or to cook
a piece of meat over low heat, until all fat melts away.

Roast: To cook, uncovered, by free-circulating dry heat in
an oven. This is the same as baking but is used in reference to meats, poultry,
vegetables, or fish. Large cuts of meat or poultry, vegetables such as potatoes,
parsnips, beets, fennel, onions, eggplant, squash, garlic, and turnips, or a
combination of meats and vegetables, are best suited for roasting. Place food(s)
in a shallow roasting pan to allow the air to circulate and brown the food
surfaces. Often meat is put into a very hot oven for a short period of time to
seal in juices, and then the oven temperature is lowered to complete the
cooking. The drippings collected in the bottom of the pan can be used to make a
gravy or sauce to serve with the meat. A roast also refers to a cut of
meat cooked by this method.

Roux: A mixture of melted fat or butter and flour, stirred
constantly for a few minutes over low heat to remove the raw starch taste.
Cooked until bubbly, the roux creates a base for thickening sauces and
gravies.

Sauté: This is the French word meaning "to
jump" which refers to moving the food around in the pan while cooking,
either by stirring or shaking the pan. This method of sautéing is most
often used to brown aromatic vegetables such as onions and garlic. The food is
cooked quickly in a small amount of fat over high heat until lightly browned. A
mixture of half olive oil and half butter is ideal for this method of cooking
because the oil allows the butter to reach a high temperature without burning
while still adding flavor. Thin, tender pieces of meat, poultry, fish, or
vegetables are added to the hot fat and cooked on one side. The high heat seals
the food keeping it moist and tender. The food is then turned and cooked on the
other side until done. This process usually takes 5–10 minutes. The food
is removed to a warming plate and a small amount of liquid such as wine or stock
may be added to the pan to deglaze the pan and make a sauce.

Scald: To heat milk to just below the boiling point when
tiny bubbles appear around the inside edge of the pan. This reduces the cooking
time and adds flavor when making custards.

Score: To make thin cuts on the surface of foods before
cooking. This helps to reduce the fat during cooking and the food cooks faster.
Scoring also can be done for decoration, ease of cutting after cooking, or to
help tenderize the food.

Sear: To brown the surface of meats quickly on all sides
over high heat in a hot oven or under a broiler. This browns the meat and seals
in the juices. Meat should not be turned until the underside is well browned to
prevent sticking.

Season: To flavor foods with herbs, spices, salt, or pepper.
To "adjust seasonings" is to taste during or after cooking and add
needed seasonings.

Shred: To tear, cut, grate, or slice food into thin strips.
Also refers to pulling apart very tender cooked meats with a fork.

Sift: To pass a dry ingredient, usually flour, through a
sifter to eliminate lumps and to incorporate air, which lightens the texture.
This also combines several ingredients that are passed through the sifter at the
same time.

TIP

Sift flour or sugar through a wire mesh strainer by gently tapping the edge
of the strainer against the side of your other hand. Powdered sugar or flour
will sift through the mesh leaving any hard bits behind. These hard bits can be
smashed with the back of a spoon. Any bits that you can’t smash should be
discarded.

Simmer: To bring liquid, by itself or with other
ingredients, to the point just below boiling over low heat. Gentle streams of
small bubbles rise slowly, bursting before reaching the surface. A simmer is
easy to maintain. If the liquid starts boiling, then the heat is too high and
should be reduced. Simmering is a method of cooking where food, such as eggs,
vegetables, fruit, meats, poultry, or fish, is placed in water, either cool or
already simmering, and cooked for the amount of time specified in the
recipe.

Skim: To remove fat, foam, or scum from the top surface of a
liquid with a spoon or bulb baster. Hold a spoon parallel to the surface to be
skimmed. Tip the spoon at a slight angle and dip the side edge of the spoon just
under the surface of the fat or foam that floats on the top to the surface. Drag
the spoon toward you until it is full of fat or foam. Discard and repeat.

Slice: To draw a knife down through a food making vertical
cuts at a right angle to the cutting board. Slices can be cut at the desired
thickness.

How to Slice an Onion

Cut the onion in half lengthwise, cutting down through the root and stem.
Place the flat side of one half onion on the cutting board and trim off and
discard the root and stem ends. Remove and discard onion skin. Grasp the onion
with the tips of your fingers that are folded back under your knuckles. Rest the
flat side of the knife blade against your knuckles and raise and lower the
knife, making vertical cuts, at a right angle to the cutting board. Cut down
through the onion in the desired thickness of the slices.

Sliver: To cut foods into thin strips.

Smoke point: The stage at which heated fat or oil begins to
emit smoke, harsh odors, and impart a bitter burnt flavor to foods. Oils or fats
with a high smoke point are better suited for deep-fat and shallow-pan frying.
Oils with a high smoke point (441°–450°F) include corn,
grapeseed, safflower, and peanut, which has the highest smoke point. Canola oil
falls in the middle with a smoke point of 400°F. Butter (350°F) and
olive oil (375°F) have a low smoke point and are not suited for frying.
Butter added to an oil with a higher smoke point is ideal for sautéing
because the butter adds flavor to the oil and protects the food from
burning.

Snip: To cut herbs into small pieces with scissors.

Steam: To cook food, usually vegetables, on a rack or in a
basket placed above a boiling liquid in a covered pan. There is no immersion in
water, so most nutrients are retained, making this a very healthy method of
cooking. A one- or two-tiered metal steamer placed into a covered saucepan will
cook two or more vegetables at a time. The firmer vegetable should go into the
bottom tier where the steam is hotter and more intense. The tender vegetable
would go in the top tier, where the steam is slightly cooler. Collapsible wire
steamers fit inside any sized pan. Fill a pan with a few inches of water,
ensuring it is below the level of the steamer basket. Place the steamer into the
pan, bring the water to a boil, add the vegetables to the basket, cover the pan,
and steam for a determined amount of time or until vegetables are fork tender.

Steep: To place food in a liquid to soak for a given amount
of time in order to infuse the liquid with flavor, such as tea leaves in hot
water. This also can be to soften and infuse the food with the flavor of the
liquids as with couscous in broth.

Stew: To cook meats (usually tougher cuts) and vegetables
slowly in a covered pan that includes a simmering liquid, either on the stove
top or in the oven. Meat, chicken, and/or vegetables are cut into small pieces
and cooked in a large amount of liquid over a low heat for a long period of
time, thickening the liquid as it reduces. Also refers to a completed dish
cooked in this manner.

Stir: To blend a mixture together by gently moving it around
and into itself with a spoon in a circular motion. Stirring is done to move
foods around while cooking and to cool foods after cooking. Stirring is not the
same as beating.

Stir-fry: To quickly sauté a combination of meat
and/or vegetables in a hot skillet or wok. Cut the meats and vegetables into
strips of approximately the same size so that they will cook evenly. Make sure
all ingredients are prepared before you start as this is a very fast process.
Heat a small amount of oil in the pan to a very high temperature that is below
the smoking point. Stir-fry food in small quantities, taking care not to crowd
the pan. If food is crowded, it will steam not fry. Sauté quickly while
stirring constantly in a minimal amount of fat or liquid to a desired doneness.
Food should be crisp, but tender and vivid in color. Seasonings and flavorings
such as soy sauce, ginger, cilantro, garlic, and sesame oil may be added while
cooking. Also refers to a completed dish cooked in this manner.

Stock: The strained liquid that results from the long, slow
simmering of vegetables, meat, fish, and other seasonings in water. Browning
bones and vegetables before adding to the cooking liquid produces a brown stock
rich in flavor.

Strain: To pass or force a liquid mixture through a
colander, sieve, or cheesecloth to remove solid particles. Food may be forced
through a strainer with the back of a wooden spoon.

Stuff: To fill a food cavity of meat, fish, poultry,
vegetables, pasta, bread, or fruits with another food. The stuffing is usually a
mixture of foods such as bread, rice, cheese and vegetables, fruit and nuts, or
cooked meats.

Sweat: To cook foods, usually vegetables, over low heat in a
small amount of fat to draw out juices, to soften the food, and to develop
flavor.

Temper: To moderate the temperature of a hot ingredient
before gradually adding it to a cold mixture, or moderating the temperature of a
cold ingredient before adding to a hot mixture. This reduces the possibility of
the mixture separating or curdling. This is done by stirring a small amount of
the cold ingredient into the hot mixture to reduce its heat. The moderate
ingredient can now be combined successfully with the colder ingredient.

Tent: To loosely cover meat or poultry with aluminum foil.

Tests for doneness: To ascertain if a food is done.
Different tests are used for different foods.

How to Test for Doneness

Baked goods: Insert and remove a wooden toothpick into a
baked food near the center, the part that cooks last. If only a few crumbs cling
to the toothpick, then the food is done. Another indicator is when the edges of
the baked food are beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan.

Fish: Near the end of the recommended cooking time, cut a
small slit in the thickest part of the fish. If the flesh inside is slightly
opaque, and has lost its wet look, remove the fish from the heat as it will
continue cooking slightly. By the time you get it on the table, the inside flesh
will be totally opaque and perfectly done.

Poultry: Near the end of the recommended cooking time,
pierce the flesh of the thigh. If the juices run clear, then the poultry is
done. If there is any pink in the juice, return the poultry to the oven and cook
for another 10 minutes. Repeat this and test the meat again.

Toast: To brown, under or over a dry heat source such as an
oven or toaster. Seeds, nuts, or spices may be toasted in the oven or in a
skillet.

How to Toast Nuts

Place the nuts in a skillet over medium-low heat. Stir or shake the pan often
as the nuts begin to brown. In the oven, place the nuts on a baking sheet in a
325°F oven for 5–10 minutes, checking often because they burn
easily.

Toss: To mix ingredients, such as salad or pasta, lightly
but quickly by lifting and turning with two large forks or spoons.

Truss: To secure poultry or meat with skewers or string
after pulling into the desired shape. Trussing helps food to retain its shape
during cooking. If poultry is stuffed, use skewers to close the cavity and lace
together with twine to secure and keep stuffing inside.

Whip: To beat a lighter mixture, such as egg whites or
whipping cream, with a wire whisk or electric mixer to incorporate air. This
lightens and increases volume. Use a large bowl and move the wire whisk quickly
and vigorously in a circular motion. If whipping cream, the best outcome results
from using a chilled bowl and a chilled whisk or mixer beater. If whipping eggs,
the best outcome results from using eggs at room temperature.

Whisk: To whip, beat, emulsify, or blend with a wire whisk
until blended and smooth. Also refers to the looped, wire-handled utensil used
to perform this task.

Zest: The outer peel of citrus fruit, not including any of
the bitter white pith just under the surface. The peel is grated and used as a
flavoring.

How to Zest a Lemon, Lime, or Orange

Using a citrus zester, scrape the scalloped end of the zester over the fruit
to remove the top layer of the fruit peel. If you are using a grater, run the
fruit over the finest holes of the grater while applying light pressure. The
zest will be forced through the holes and accumulate under the grater.